What do you eat when the restaurant doesn't show calories?

beekuzz
beekuzz Posts: 428 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Please help by giving me ideas of what you usually go for in a restaurant without nutrition info.
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Replies

  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    entree salad with some form of lean meat with dressing on the side, if possible. Or some sort of grilled lean meat with veggies. Or sometimes I just say to heck with it and order what sounds good. It depends on how the rest of the week went.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    guesstimate, but be realistic. For example, pasta from olive garden is not the same as if you make it.
  • gobraves47
    gobraves47 Posts: 213 Member
    Order what sounds good and just eat a small portion.
  • jones137
    jones137 Posts: 89 Member
    Usually a sirloin, filet or salmon (grilled, no seasonings) with a veggie. I also ask them how many ounces the meat was so I can track.
  • damorzacon
    damorzacon Posts: 124 Member
    Usually try to find a smallish steak, skip the potatoes and double up on whatever veggie side they offer.
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
    If you go out to eat often, I would say like a previous poster said - a salad with grilled meat, dressing on the side.. or grilled chicken/small cut of steak with steamed veggies. We also live by the ocean so seafood is a better choice! However, if you don't go out a lot, just order. Eat half and take half home. We don't go out to eat very often so I don't fret that much. :)
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
    Fish or grilled chicken. skip the fries and get a side of veggies or fruit
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Whatever sounds the tastiest, it's not like you have be on your diet/ in a deficit at all times. Enjoy yourself and eat what you want
  • WickedGarden
    WickedGarden Posts: 944 Member
    whatever I order, be it a burger or sandwich, I ask for it 'dry' no sauces or anything, then ask for a side of something that I want in the burger/sandwich (like honey mustard) and then calculate everything individually. 1-sesame bun, 1-garden burger patty, 1 slice tomato, etc.

    Or if I go out, I save my calories and over guesstimate. It's only one day, I don't sweat it.

    (I do get annoyed when I ask for dressing on the side and they don't listen :mad: )
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I look in the MFP database for something similar and log that.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Grilled chicken or shrimp, baked potato (with cottage cheese on the side), or rice and veggies or salad dressing on the side....if I'm trying to be good. If I'm overdo for a tasty meal out....then I'll just order whatever strikes my fancy and call it a spike day:drinker:
  • Gioooo
    Gioooo Posts: 301 Member
    I skip appetizers and order whatever i want! I always know when im going to eat out for dinner so i eat really light that day so i can enjoy myself
  • Polly758
    Polly758 Posts: 623 Member
    A burger is usually a pretty good compromise, ask for it with no mayo, maybe even with no bun, and log it later, you can easily keep it under/around 400 calories depending on how big the patty is. Even a slice of cheese will only add 100 calories.

    And don't let them bring you fries! If they say "it's included" just tell them DON'T BRING THEM TO THE TABLE. (Or maybe let them bring you five fries or something lol) Otherwise you just doubled your intake.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    Whatever sounds the tastiest, it's not like you have be on your diet/ in a deficit at all times. Enjoy yourself and eat what you want
    This. Just don't eat at restaurants a lot.
  • Sarahsmiles0875
    Sarahsmiles0875 Posts: 95 Member
    And don't let them bring you fries! If they say "it's included" just tell them DON'T BRING THEM TO THE TABLE. (Or maybe let them bring you five fries or something lol) Otherwise you just doubled your intake.

    This is AWESOME! If you are a fries lover..5 and that's it...never thought of that...good thing i don't go to many restaurants anymore...
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
    What kind of restaurant ?

    Chinese ..... steamed veggies with chicken, beef, pork, or seafood .... brown rice

    Steakhouse ..... steak or chops, double or triple up on the veggies, no starch ..... no dessert

    Italian ..... tricky ..... the one I use makes a fabulous grilled salmon over salad with veggies, balsamic dressing .... no dessert

    Seafood ..... again with the salmon & veggies

    Best of luck to you !
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    Whatever sounds the tastiest, it's not like you have be on your diet/ in a deficit at all times. Enjoy yourself and eat what you want

    This. It's not like I eat out every day/week. So I'll chose what looks like it'll taste the best.
  • LavaRoushFiveOh
    LavaRoushFiveOh Posts: 44 Member
    MFP has had all of the information for the restaurants we go to. If I am eating out during the week I choose lean meat and steamed veggies. I don't like salads as a meal. However, I have been allowing myself to eat "normal" on one weekend day. On those days I just eat whatever seems good and I eat only until I am satisfied. I do enter it on MFP, and I am still losing weight so its obviously not negatively affecting my weight loss. Also, you can always ask the chef whats in the food. They do weigh their portions and know exactly what is in the meal.
  • rovernio
    rovernio Posts: 157
    every thing i can fit into my stomach
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
    I usually try to get a salad with grilled meat or some entree with grilled meat. If it offers sides I try (dont always) to get fruit or veggies. Sometimes I just like to indulge on fries though ;-)
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Whatever sounds the tastiest, it's not like you have be on your diet/ in a deficit at all times. Enjoy yourself and eat what you want

    This. It's not like I eat out every day/week. So I'll chose what looks like it'll taste the best.


    I love you hair thankyouforthev!!!!
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    I usually eat 2 appetizers for a meal:

    1 soup (avoid "cream" soups) or salad (no dressing, I ask for Balsamic vinegar only)
    +
    1 protein appetizer dish. Preferably a grilled meat (rather than fried) or a tartar of fish or beef.
  • ericarae33
    ericarae33 Posts: 211 Member
    Tonight I'm going to a sports bar and grill, that I don't care for, I'm ordering their "grilled" chicken breast sandwich, but no bun, and I'm getting a side of steamed veggies instead of the fries.

    Depending on where we are going, if its somewhere I love, I will order what I want and eat a smaller portion!
  • beekuzz
    beekuzz Posts: 428 Member
    Thank you so much. Everyone is very helpful. I'm so thankful that I found this site. Going to Outback Steakhouse and going for grilled fish and veggies and salad. I'll bring my own dressing. No bread and no cheese fries for me anymore.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Whatever sounds good, but no meat or poultry unless I know where it came from. Thankfully some restaurants do include that information.
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
    I always go with salmon/chicken and mixed veggies/grilled asparagus
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Hotwings and beer.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    If you can, plan ahead! Look up calories for a bunch of common foods (hamburger, small steak with a potato and veggies, etc) and be mindful of how many calories you have available. You'll pretty quickly learn to be reasonable in your estimation of calories, if not perfect (but if you had to be perfect all the time to lose weight, we'd all be screwed!).
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    If you can, plan ahead! Look up calories for a bunch of common foods (hamburger, small steak with a potato and veggies, etc) and be mindful of how many calories you have available. You'll pretty quickly learn to be reasonable in your estimation of calories, if not perfect (but if you had to be perfect all the time to lose weight, we'd all be screwed!).

    I do something similar; if it's a planned outing I look it up ahead of time - most restaurants publish their nutrition guidelines online.
  • Wonderwoman2677
    Wonderwoman2677 Posts: 428 Member
    I don' eat out often so I get what I want and don't worry about the cals... but I don't stuff myself either.

    Salads and lean meats are usually good options.

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